


If It Fits

by ami_ven



Series: True Love (Slipper and the Rose) [2]
Category: Cinderella - All Media Types, The Slipper and the Rose (1976)
Genre: Community: writerverse, F/M, Fairy Tales, Story Continuation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-27
Updated: 2015-01-27
Packaged: 2018-03-09 06:41:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3240041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>History repeats when a mysterious young man leaves something behind at the True Love Ball.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If It Fits

**Author's Note:**

> written for LJ community "writerverse" challenge (write fanfiction)

Princess Louisa danced all night with the young man in the pale blue suit who had a smear of grease behind his ear, but at the stroke of midnight, he raced off.

“Oh, no, wait!” she cried— she didn’t care that he wasn’t royalty, that his fancy clothes were probably only borrowed magic, because he was sweet and kind and when he asked her questions, serious and thoughtful questions, he listened to her answers— but he didn’t stop.

He ran down the palace steps and toward the old iron gate, but his jacket caught on the latch. The young man struggled and pulled free, vanishing from sight just as the palace guard arrived.

“Oh, Mama,” Louisa sobbed, throwing herself into her mother’s arms.

Queen Cinderella stroked her daughter’s hair. “My darling, what happened?”

Louisa explained, and her parents nodded, understanding. “You must go after him, of course,” said King Edward. 

“But how, Papa?” asked Louisa. “He wasn’t wearing glass slipper, he didn’t leave behind any—”

“Yes, he did,” interrupted Prince Reginald, her eldest brother. “He left this.”

Reginald held up something that dangled on a silver chain, and Louisa took it carefully. “It’s a pocket watch,” she said.

“It’s old,” said her sister, Corrine. “But very well cared for.”

“A family heirloom, perhaps?” suggested their brother, Arthur.

“Then he will be missing it,” said King Edward. “We’ll send messengers to every corner of the kingdom and—”

“No, Papa,” interrupted Louisa. “Please, let me find him on my own.”

Her parents shared a look. “Of course, Louisa,” said the queen. “We’ll help in any way we can.”

*

The palace servants kept several sets of worn-but-still-serviceable uniforms in the storeroom, and Louisa borrowed one that would fit her. She had never been as pretty or as sociable as her sisters, so when she stepped onto the streets of Euphrania, she was met by polite but uninterested looks.

In fact, Louisa was amazed that she hadn’t done this years ago— her country was so _interesting_ , full of people going about their daily lives. Delicious smells came from the bakery, a crowd of laughing people were entering the inn, and she could feel the heat from the blacksmith’s shop even from several feet away.

“I know that watch,” said a voice.

Louisa whirled, one hand going to the mysterious young man’s pocket watch, which she had hung from a pin on her bodice, but the speaker was a small child.

“I know that watch,” the boy repeated.

“You do?” Louisa asked.

He nodded. “That’s Jimmy’s watch. He’s always got it on him, ‘cept… ‘cept he don’t, now.”

“He don’t— I mean, he doesn’t? Why not?”

The boy shrugged. “Dunno.”

Louisa crouched— it was unladylike, but this was an emergency— to be on his eye level. “I would very much like to give Jimmy back his watch. Do you know where he lives?”

“I can show you,” the boy offered. He pointed to the blacksmith’s shop, where Louisa could see several burly men hauling red-hot metal with iron tongs. Then, behind them, she saw a young man, straining under a load of wood for the fire. “That’s him, miss. Works for Ezra the blacksmith, since his folks died.”

“Oh, how sad,” said Louisa, then fished a coin from the pocket of her apron. “Thank you for telling me,” she said.

The boy took the coin, grinning, and raced off.

Louisa rose and took a deep breath. She walked to the doorway of the blacksmith’s shop, and knocked. 

“Yes, miss?” asked one of the men.

“Excuse me,” she said. “But I’m looking for—”

“Your Highness?” The young man had set down his firewood, and stood, hesitant. 

Louisa smiled. “It’s you. I… I’m so glad I found you.”

“You are?” he asked, blinking.

“Yes, of course. Oh! I have your watch.”

“My…” He took it, carefully. “Thank you, Your Highness. That you… that you made the effort, to return it.”

“Adorable as you two are,” said a voice, suddenly, “I’m afraid we should hurry this along, so these gentlemen can get back to work.”

It was a woman, in a blue gown, who had appeared in the shop without seeming to come in by any of the doors. She smiled at both of them.

“Godmother?” said the young man.

“Yes, my dear. Allow me to introduce you properly. Her Highness, Princess Louisa of Euphrania, this is Master James Little, also of Euphrania.”

“Then you helped him get to the ball,” said Louisa. “Thank you!”

“You’re very welcome, of course. And might I suggest that the palace gardens are lovely this time of day?”

James— Jimmy, Louisa thought, he really looked like a Jimmy— flushed, but met her gaze. “Your Highness,” he began. “Would you allow me to accompany you on a walk in the gardens? With proper chaperones, of course.”

Louisa smiled. “I would be delighted.”

THE END


End file.
